Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-12-02
A Bear and two Men.
STARTLING EXPERIENCE IN THE
WOODS OF TWO YOUNG
FARMERS.

] STARTLING EXPERIENCE IN THE
WOODS OF TWO YOUNG
FARMERS.
George w. Patterson and An
drew p. Catlln, young farmers in
the town of Junius, New York, re.
turned home on Monday afternoon
from a ten days hunt ten or twelve
miles from the village Of Gizza,
Clearfeld county, in Northern
Pennsylvania. Mr.. Catlin carries
his left broken arm in a sling, and
his face, scalp, arms and hands are
covered with scratches and deep
cuts made by the claws ofa she
bear. His right ear was nearly
torn away, and has been sewed TO
his head. Mr.. Patterson also bears
scratches and laceratiOns upon his
arms and hands from the same
cause. Both men suffer severely
from their injuries. Patterson and
Catlin had nearly finished their
hunting and trapping season in the
woods, and intended quitting their
home in the woods last Saturday
afternoon. On Saturday morning
Patterson started of with his gun
on his shoulder to take up the fox
traps about the forest IN which
they were camping. Catlin was
left alone at the camp, and a little
later went ont for a stroll about the
woods, earring his rifle with him.
The morning was pleasant, and
finding a recent letter from his wife
in his pocket he sat down upon a
stump TO read it again. lie had been
reading but a few minutes when he
heard the sound of swapping twigs
upon the ground, and rustling Of
dead leaves, as if some one we're
clumsily approaching. He careless
~ looked up from his letter, and
was paralyzed to see a large female
bear within one hundred feet of
him.
81 shall never forget how big that
bear looked to me at that moment"
said Farmer Catlin. 81 never saw
a bear ont of captivity before. l
had read all about their quiet ways
and how they will avoid a tussle
with man. Now, thought |, here's
chance to astonish Patterson
when he comes back from dinner.
III kill that bear in about five sec.
onds, and with that up and took
what | thought was the most de-
liberate aim at old bruins head
The aim was poor, for instead Of
the beast dropping dead she gave
a resounding grunt and leaped a
foot or two in the air. The bullet
had taken effect in the bears nose
and wasvery painful. In a second
more the animal dashed toward me,
swinging her head from side to
side. and showing the largest and
sharpest teeth | ever saw. reach
ed instantly for another cartridge,
and found had forgotten to take
my cartridge box with me. The
sensation was dreadful. Persplra-
ton started from every pore, | had
no time to think, but everything
flashed though my mind. i had
nothing about me but a long ana
very sharp twO.edged dirk knife,
with which to defend myself, and
there was that Infatuated and hun.
gry, powerful bear almost upon me.
reached for my knife and drew it
from its sheath, at the same mo-
ment running forward few feet to
strike as powerful blow as posi-
BILE with my weapon. The beast
struck against my legs and | near
ly fell to the ground. | turned and
in my haste gave the animal a
savage cut across the back. AT
that the bear turned upon me more
6ercely than ever. had got upon
my feet, and the bear struck me q
powerful blow upon my breast. II
| had not been prepared for it |
would have fallen beneath the
beast. | was then more than ever
alarmed. 1t seemed as if that was
my last day on earth. The next
move | made was to attempt to put
my long knife into Bruins heart
My body, however, was so close
to that of the bear that the
knife blade struck too close to
the beasts shoulder to do any
Injury. Old Bruin was more en-
ragged than eyer, and dealt me a
blow with one Of her great paws
that seemed like a sledge hammer
on my breast. | fell backward
upon the ground. | thought then
| was surely goner. In an instant
the animal was upon me again with
her fore paws, and / reaching up
gave her a great slash across the
breast, from which great quantities
of hot blood poured down upon me.
Then we had close embrace, dur.
Ag which my face and hands, as
y1 see, we're so terribly scratched
ann torn. fought like a demon
andmanaged to keep the beasts
awfn Jaws from closing upon me.
/ did Not fear any severe hugs from
the ANIMAL. | don't know how /
did it, ht / managed to hold on
to my hife, with which l had
given the\ld beast three deep digs
and at the ame time to grasp her
about the Nist. Then we rolled